Black Caviar – Third strike as Aussie Horse Of The Year
Black Caviar capped her glittering career by being honoured as Australia’s Racehorse of the Year for the third time recently.
Unbeaten in 25 starts, the now-retired world champion sprinter joins dual Cox Plate winner Sunline as the only other horse to win the title three times.
After an absence from the racecourse for seven months while she recovered from her Royal Ascot win in England last year, Black Caviar returned in February for the first of three Group One starts in the 2012-13 season.
She triumphed in the Lightning Stakes, renamed in her honour, breaking Special’s 25-year-old 1,000m track record at Flemington in the process. She then thrilled her fans in the William Reid Stakes.
The TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick boasted what was one of the strongest fields she had ever faced, but she dispensed with them in typically arrogant fashion in what was to be her final race.
It was also her 15th Group One victory, one more than the previous record held by Kingston Town.
She was of course also named the Sprinter of the Year at the awards ceremony in Melbourne.
“Black Caviar has been a bit of a phenomenon,” said part-owner Neil Werrett.
Black Caviar on the cover of Vogue
“We’re not quite sure how it all really happened apart from she kept winning races and the Australian public got right behind her.
“And for that we’re greatly indebted and we really appreciate the support, not only from the racing public, but from all the public of Australia and also overseas.
“When we did go overseas to Ascot, the British got right behind her and we really appreciate that she became a worldwide legend.”
Votes were lodged on a 3-2-1 basis by 98 members of the racing media and senior racing administrators nationwide, with Black Caviar securing 251 of a maximum 294 votes for the top honour, beating her younger half-brother All Too Hard (179), Cox Plate winner Ocean Park (50), Pierro (38) and It’s A Dundeel (28).
All Too Hard came out on top in what was acknowledged as a stellar year for three-year-old colts and geldings, polling 264 votes with Pierro on 148 and It’s A Dundeel on 119.
The occasion also celebrated the 60-year career of Bart Cummings who presented the award, now named in his honour, for the leading Group One trainer of the season, Chris Waller.
Cummings did not go away empty-handed, with Norzita, who gave the master trainer his 265th and 266th Group One wins in the Flight Stakes and Arrowfield Stud Stakes, named the three-year-old filly of the year over Dear Demi and Royal Descent in a close contest.
Winners
Horse of the Year: Black Caviar
Two-year-old: Overreach
Three-year-old filly: Norzita
Three-year-old male: All Too Hard
Sprinter: Black Caviar
Middle distance: Ocean Park
Stayer: Green Moon
Jumper: Bashboy
Champion sire: Exceed And Excel
Bart Cummings Award: Chris Waller
Group One jockey: Hugh Bowman and Kerrin McEvoy
